ENSEMBLES 2024

coro siamo

...absolutely at home in every genre (Alois Glaßner)

The ensemble coro siamo is a mixed choir based in Vienna, driven by a clear vision to perform choral music of the highest calibre, blending around 40 individual voices into harmonious perfection. True to its name, “coro siamo” – “we are chorus”, it embodies not only the joyous pursuit of choral artistry with meticulous attention to detail but also a profound sense of ensemble that defines this exceptional group. Founded by Florian Maierl in 2006, the choir was led by Oliver Stech from 2022 to 2023, before Agnes Schnabl took the helm in autumn 2023.
At the heart of its artistic endeavours lies a commitment to performing challenging contemporary a cappella literature by composers such as Arvo Pärt, Jukka Linkola, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Anton Heiller, and Wolfgang Sauseng. Each concert programme is meticulously crafted around a concept, an idea, a guiding thread, often weaving together rare gems of choral literature with semi-theatrical elements to form a cohesive whole. Apart from the a cappella repertoire, coro siamo has collaborated in notable performances, including Leonard Bernstein's Mass at Vienna‘s Musikverein. Additionally, of course, coro siamo is involved in upholding the art of traditional choral works, including Gregorio Allegri's Miserere Mei, motets by Johann Sebastian Bach and Anton Bruckner.
Positioning itself as a progressive choir, in addition to contemporary a capella literature, coro siamo actively seeks collaborations beyond national and stylistic boundaries. Past projects include partnerships with groups such as ALMA and Neuschnee, as well as with the Chorus Viennensis, the Linz Hard-Chor, and the Wiener Konzertvereinigung. In 2019, coro siamo was invited to perform alongside acclaimed cellist Harriet Krijgh and her ensemble at Burg Feistritz. Demonstrating its flexibility, coro siamo has performed at numerous distinguished venues, including at the Wiener Musikverein, the Radio Kulturhaus, the Theater am Spittelberg, the Votivkirche, the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Wellenklang Festival at the Lunzer Seebühne and the Stephansdom.
The musicality of coro siamo has enjoyed acclaim not only from audiences but also from independent juries, having received multiple awards at international choral competitions such as the Austria Cantat in Salzburg, the Anton Bruckner Choir Competition in Linz, and the Ave Verum in Baden. In 2014, coro siamo emerged as the winner of the national competition Österreich singt at the Salzburger Mozarteum, representing Austria at the opening of the Wiener Festwochen at the Rathausplatz. Its greatest triumph came in the summer of 2018 in Carinthia, where it became the first Austrian choir in the 55-year history of the international choir competition in Spittal an der Drau to clinch victory in both the art song and folk song categories, along with the audience prize. In recognition of its contributions to choral music, coro siamo was awarded the Leo Lehner Plaque by the Austrian Chorforum Wien in 2019."

Agnes Schnabl

Conductor

Agnes Schnabl from Austria completed her studies of conducting and choral conducting pedagogy at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. There, she studied under Johannes Prinz. Prior to that, she received conducting lessons at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna under Alois Glaßner as part of her study of music pedagogy. She completed a postgraduate study in choral conducting at the University Mozarteum Salzburg with Jörn Hinnerk Andresen.
Since 2021, Agnes is teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. She is working as a Jurymember at choral competitions and as instructor at various choral and conducting courses all around Austria. She is the conductor of the Austrian Youth Choir, the Tyrolean Youth Choir, coro siamo (Vienna), ensemble kanti (Graz) and has repeatedly worked with the Wiener Singverein.
From 2021 to 2023 Agnes has been a scholarship holder of the Dirigentenforum/German Music Council. As part of this program, she has worked with Florian Helgath, Yuval Weinberg, Bernhard Schmidt and conducted the MDR Radio Choir, the SWR Vokalensemble, the Philharmonic Choir Berlin and Canta Nova Saar. In 2022, she assisted Justin Doyle at the project Klangkomsos Schütz 22, which was a cooperation of four German youth choirs and the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin. In 2018, she was a guest conductor for vocalconsort initium in Tokyo.
As part of her university education, she has worked with the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir, the Saxon State Opera Chorus Dresden, the Stadttheaterchor Klagenfurt, the Orchestra for New Music and the Filmmusic Orchestra of the Music University Graz, the University Orchestra of the Mozarteum Salzburg and has conducted in opera productions. Agnes was an assistant teacher for the conducting classes at the Music Pedagogy department at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.
Agnes took part in master classes with Florian Helgath, Zürcher Singakademie, Vokalensemble consonus, Hans-Christoph Rademann, Steven Sametz, Johann Van der Sandt, Vokalforum Graz, Robert Sund, Morten Schuldt-Jensen, Josep Vila i Casanas, Maria Goundorina, Erwin Ortner and Thomas Caplin.
As a singer, she was a member of the two vocal trios Lerchenschnabl and 3 Schnablinge. They were performing in Austria as well as neighboring countries and have won prizes at the Alpine Folkmusic Competition in Innsbruck, Prima la Musica, and at the Austrian Landes- and Bundesjugendsingen. Several albums were released throughout 2011 to 2018.
Besides classical music, Agnes is very passionate about folk music. Due to her ancestry, she feels particularly connected to Carinthian-Slovene folk songs.